


Feathered Friends

by lessiehanamoray



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Don't Examine This Too Closely, Friendship, Gen, Memories, Post-Game(s), Soft Goro Week 2020, Spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:33:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25313143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lessiehanamoray/pseuds/lessiehanamoray
Summary: A new kids starts his first day at Shujin Academy. Throughout the day he thinks back on the times he spent with Goro Akechi even as new friends enter his life.
Kudos: 4
Collections: Day 5 - Love and Bonds





	Feathered Friends

Takara Chiba carefully knotted his black and white striped tie. The Shujin Uniform didn't call for a tie, but he wanted to wear it. So what if it didn’t match the uniform?

It was from the school he'd wanted to attend anyway. Shujin just happened to be the most convenient school he’d gotten in. Honestly, the best convenient school he’d gotten in.

Takara sighed.

He hadn't even gotten into his top school. Even now, he couldn't compete with his older brother.

"Brother."

It still felt weird, thinking of him as a brother, but it was the only reasonable thing Goro Akechi could be to him. The only right answer.

Well, not technically. His counselor was quite clear that he needed to let go of that chapter of his life entirely, but he couldn't do that.

No matter how twisted, the love he felt was real, and very persistent.

He'd only been a kid when he met Goro Akechi. He didn't like to think back on how it happened. It had taken his current guardians quite a bit of effort to keep his mother out of his life, and Takara preferred it that way. She didn't even deserve a space in his mind.

But Goro, he did.

A knock on the door. "Kara, you ready?"

Huh? "Yeah."

Takara checked himself out one last time in the mirror. He looked good. Of course, he always looked good. He'd just started modelling last month, and already he got regular work.

Turned out effortlessly cute was a popular look.

"Kara."

"I'm coming, Jackie!"

Takara grabbed the Shujin bag at the base of his bed.

He hadn't attended a large school in a while now, but he knew he'd be fine. His tutors had been great, after all.

"I don't get it!"

Goro leaned over Takara, checking his work.

"You forgot to carry the one," he chided.

Takara slammed his head into the table. "Why is math so hard?"

"It's not hard, Kara. It's just detail oriented. Something you are not."

Kara tilted up his head, putting on a big pout.

"Don't give me that look." Despite his stern words, Goro smiled at him.

Kara leaned back, resting against Goro's chest. "Why do I have to do homework anyway?"

"You're lucky, Kara."

"I don't like going to school."

"You don't have to like it, but you should appreciate it."

Kara lifted his feet up, resting them on the bed.

"No one else cares if I do homework," he muttered.

The responding bonk on the head was not a surprise.

"You need to care. If you're educated, you still have a chance."

Kara set his feet down, staring at the math workbook before him.

"I know it's tedious." Goro ruffled Kara's hair. "I know you don't like it, but you need to do it. Anything you can do to secure your future is worth doing."

Takara stood in the middle of the train car, counting on the mass of people to keep him standing. He hated crowded trains. They smelled like unwashed men all the time, and it would only get worse once summer started. Then everyone really would be sweating.

He wished he could ride the women only car. It got just as crowded, but didn't smell nearly so bad.

Oh well, they needed a safe space, he supposed. It wasn't like they could check every guy in Tokyo on a case-by-case basis. Even now, wearing a high school uniform and standing in a packed train, he could feel more than one hungry look on him.

Not like he cared. Takara craved any kind of attention. That these men looked at him this way only meant that he was beautiful, and that they were pathetic.

Hopefully, his burgeoning model and then idol career would eventually attract a higher class of attention.

For now though, let them stare. Let them admire. He wasn’t scared of them.

"You need to take better care of your hair, Kara."

Kara sighed. Count on Goro to tell him off while washing his hair.

"Actually massage the shampoo into your scalp."

Still, Kara tried not to let it get to him. Goro was trying to take care of him. He was the only person who ever did. 

And besides, Goro's strong hands felt nice massaging his scalp.

The shower head turned on again, and a torrent of water rained down. Kara slammed his eyes closed to avoid getting soap in them.

Goro sprayed the water on both of them, making extra sure to get Kara's back. He then began running the soap over it.

"Goro? Can I wash your back too?"

"I suppose."

Yay. Goro was super careful about how Kara touched him, and super random.

Well, not random. Even though he was a kid, Kara vaguely recognized why Goro's approach to him constantly changed. He didn't quite get it, but there was something Goro was supposed to train him for, and Goro didn't want to do it.

"I'll make sure you're super clean," Kara promised.

"I'm counting on you."

The water hit Kara's back again. A moment later he felt Goro shift.

Kara spun around. No one had ever said they were counting on him before. Now, he couldn’t just do a good job. He had to be perfect.

Perfect, huh?

Takara carefully arranged his supplies, waiting patiently for his chance to introduce himself. The entire class was going now, but instead of being seated by name they appeared to be seated by random chance.

Or maybe not?

Things seemed fairly staggered out between girls and boys. Perhaps a ploy to encourage different students to talk to each other? Several of the students clearly already knew each other from previous schools.

Ah, his turn.

"Takara Chiba.

It was just a name. The simplest introduction imaginable, but for that moment all eyes were on him. Under his classmates' gazes, Takara practically glowed. His grin, wide and innocent, was both practice and genuine. The slight tilt of his head the perfect angle to show off his carefully styled hair.

He managed to scan all their faces before he sat back down. Their smiles told him he had left a good first impression.

Perfect. Good first impressions were essential.

He'd been so scared. Takara barely ever left his home, and now complete strangers took him somewhere totally new. His mother had grinned wider than he'd ever seen that night.

The men practically threw him into the small room.

Another person, a boy older than him, spun around to stare at him.

"Who are you?"

"Uh..."

The boy's eyes were wide, yet stern. Even as a kid, Kara had recognized a face meant to be soft but forced into sternness. Or maybe it had just gone with the wrong personality.

Takara chuckled slightly. He knew Goro could be scary, but his anger always looked a little out of place on his wide face.

And to say Goro had the wrong personality for, well, everything he did was an understatement. Takara remembered watching Goro's first television interview.

Goro had never had a great sense of humor, but listening to him present a canned joke had sent Takara into hysterical laughter.

It wasn't that he thought it was a good joke or anything. It just sounded wrong coming out of Goro Akechi's mouth. The feigned embarrassment though, that was what had sent Takara over the edge.

Goro Akechi was never embarrassed. 

"What?" Goro snarled.

Kara grinned at him. "That dress is weird on you."

Goro slowly spun around, staring at himself in the mirror.

"You're just not used to seeing me in something so form fitting."

Yeah right.

"Why such a small dress anyway?"

"Like hell if I know," Goro muttered. He carefully adjusted the straps. "Usually when he forces me in a dress there's at least some attempt to make me look like a girl."

He carefully analyzed himself in the mirror.

"It looks surprisingly not weird, actually."

"I guess." Kara propped himself up. "But I think you're cuter in the maid outfit."

"Really?" Goro turned to regard him. "Why that one?"

Kara shrugged. "I don't know, but I do know that if I ever wear one of these stupid outfits I want it to be that one."

Goro sighed. "Don't look forward to it."

"I'm not, but they are cute." Kara looked at the little black dress again. "Most of them."

Goro sat down beside him. "Just avoid heels."

"But they look cool."

"They're uncomfortable, and you can't run in them."

"Yeah, but I want to be tall." Kara raised his arms to the ceiling

Goro smiled at him. "You've still got some growing left, Kara."

"You think?"

"Yeah. I mean," Goro reached down to grab a pair of pumps, "even I'm still growing."

"Really?"

"Hmm-hmm."

"But you're so old!"

Goro bonked him on the head. "Your definition of old needs some work."

Kara rubbed his head. Goro never hit him hard or anything, but the spot had grown slightly tender.

Goro watched him carefully. "Did I swing too hard?"

"Huh? No. You just do it a lot."

"Should I not?"

"Oh, no, it's fine. My head's just a little tender there, is all."

"Hmm."

Goro almost never bonked him on the head after that.

Takara rubbed his scalp. He wished Goro would come back and bonk him again. It didn't hurt anymore, and he was sure Goro would be extra careful.

He took a bit of the nikujaga Jackie had prepared.

Man he loved this dish.

Goro never did though, at least not this way. Takara smiled, thinking back to the brief time when Goro had lived with all of them. Jackie used to make two different stews, one salty and one sweet.

Takara couldn't stand the salty one, but Goro barely touched the sweeter version.

"Oh! I'm sorry. No one's usually here."

Takara looked up to see a small second-year with long brown hair. Well, auburn really. It had a distinct bit of red to it.

He grinned at her. "I guess the roof is a weird place to have lunch."

She shook her head, glancing over to the carefully planned garden plots. "I come up here all the time."

"Are those your flowers?"

"Huh? Oh no. Not really. I just try to keep them healthy. Mind if I sit with you?"

"No problem. I'm Takara Chiba, it's my first day here."

"Futaba Sakura." She adjusted her glasses nervously.

Yeah, he'd figured. He recognized her from Goro's case log. "Looks like you're my senpai."

She lifted the top off of some instant noodles. Steam gushed forth.

"I guess so. I'm still not used to being a second year yet."

"Really? You look so mature."

He also knew that she was old for a second-year. Honestly, he'd expected her to be in her third.

"Oh." She pulled out her chopsticks. "I got started a little late."

How had that gone? Takara couldn't help but wonder. He knew Goro had made sure to start high school in the right grade for his age, even though he started a little behind.

"Whelp, let's eat!"

Takara saluted her with his own chopsticks.

"Those Harajuku crepes looked really good."

Goro looked up from his laptop.

He sighed. "That was the point."

"I wish I could go to Harajuku."

"I'm sure Jackie would take you."

Kara pouted. "I'd rather go with you."

"I'm busy."

"Not too busy to have crepes."

Goro sighed again, shutting his computer lid. He turned to fully face Kara now. "I only went to that crepe stand for my blog. I spent no time on Takeshita Street, and I left for a meeting the moment I finished."

"I know, but you won't be busy forever. I mean, you know who the Phantom Thieves are, don't you?"

Goro massaged the bridge of his nose.

Kara stared at the floor. "Sorry. I didn't mean to annoy you."

"No, it's fine. This report is just proving troublesome."

"I can wait. For the crepes I mean. One day, you won't be busy."

Kara wasn't quite sure how to interpret the look on Goro's face. He'd seen it before though, that sort of happy but sad and stressed look.

Nothing good ever came from that look.

"Goro?"

"I'd like that, Kara."

"Goro?"

Takara walked slowly to the station. He'd hoped some of his classmates would want to talk to him, but they were all busy catching up with people they already knew.

Several had waved to him at least, so hopefully it wouldn't be too long.

"Kara!"

He stopped dead in his tracks, turning slightly to see Futaba running up to him. Another girl, a truer redhead also wearing glasses, followed behind her.

"Hey, Futaba-senpai."

She grinned at her. "Sumi and I were wondering if you wanted to hit up an arcade with us? There's one near here with the best crane games."

The other student, a third year by her uniform, smiled at him. "They have a good selection of dancing games too."

"This here's Sumire. She's a third year."

Takara bowed slightly. "Takara Chiba. I'm a first year."

Sumire beamed at him. "Nice to meet you. I'm Sumire Yoshizawa."

Ah. "Star of the Shujin gymnastics team, right?"

"Huh?"

Why did she look so genuinely surprised?

"The star, huh? Um, but yeah, I'm on the gymnastics team."

"Sumire's super amazing," Futaba added.

"It's nice to meet you." Takara turned to Futaba. "Why did you call me Kara?"

"It's your name isn't it? TaKARA."

Ah. Apparently she was one of those people who needed to give others nicknames.

"Should I not have?"

Kara shook his head. "No, it's fine. It's just...it's what my big brother called me."

"Called?" Sumire stepped closer. Her voice had grown really soft.

"Yeah. He went missing a couple of years ago."

"That's terrible."

Even Futaba slumped.

"It's okay. He left me with a lot of good memories and besides, no matter what the police say, I know he's alive. He's way too tough to get killed."

Sumire looked about ready to cry.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to bring the mood down."

She shook her head. "No, it's fine. It's just, I lost my older sister a couple of years ago too."

"I bet she left you with a lot of good memories too."

Sumire glanced over to Futaba. "Yeah, she did. In her own way."

Takara didn’t like how sad and personal this conversation had gotten. "Uh, so arcade today?"

That seemed to lift Futaba's mood immediately. A big grin spread across her face, looking more than a little manic.

"I shall acquire you, Featherman Dooka prize."

Goro and Kara slipped quietly into the living room. Without a sound, Goro grabbed the television remote. With one finger on the mute button, he turned the television on and changed it to the desired channel.

With another quick set of buttons the captions popped on as well, just in time to show the lyrics for the second half of the opening theme song.

The two boys quietly sang along. Or at least they tried too. They only kind of knew the rhythm, and some of the lyrics were undoubtedly wrong in the captions, but still...

Kara loved these nights. He wasn't quite sure what triggered them, but sometimes Goro would suddenly insist they sneak out of their room and watched Phoenix Ranger Featherman R. Even though they couldn't hear the voices, Kara and Goro watched the show intently. Sometimes, Goro whispered out a line so Kara could catch it all. Sometimes, there were obvious mistakes in the captions which made them both chuckle.

During fights Kara and Goro did the poses together, mimicking their favorite ranger as combat engaged. Kara only knew the poses for Feather Dooka and Feather Crow, but he did his best. Goro, of course, knew all of them.

Keeping up with Sumire in DDR was one of the most exhilarating experiences Kara had ever had. She clearly didn't play that often, but neither did he, and she was way more athletic.

Still, they were good enough to get some onlookers. Sumire's smooth motions were certainly quite lovely. Meanwhile, Kara tried to blend some of the dance techniques he'd been learning into the game. The result was two very different styles of play, and two pretty solid scores.

A small applause went off when they finished their last song.

Kara grinned. He lived for this kind of attention.

Sumire grinned back at him.

The two wandered over to the crane game, where Futaba stood working intently towards her prize. Two figures sat by her feet.

"Not getting what you want?"

"No," she grumbled.

Sumire leaned down to look at what Futaba had gotten so far. "Two crows, huh?"

"Yeah. I didn't have him, so I wasn't too upset with the first one, but the second too? Ugh. Talk about cursed luck."

Kara lifted up the prize box. How was she good enough to get this but still failing at Featherman Dooka? It almost felt like a super power.

"You want it?"

"What?"

Futaba was looking at him through the side of the case, trying to gauge the claw's depth.

"You want it?" She nodded to herself, apparently content with the positioning.

"The figure?"

"What else?"

Futaba moved back to the front.

"I couldn't take it from you."

"Don't like Feather Crow, huh?"

"No. Crow's..actually my favorite."

"Really?" Sumire sounded really surprised.

"I know it's not a popular choice."

"All the more reason you should take him," Futaba muttered, staring at the descending claw. "Not like he'll sell for much."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. He should go to a good home."

Kara wasn't quite sure how to respond. He had only just met these two after all, and taking something from them felt wrong. On the other hand, Crow really wasn't that popular. Futaba was right. She wouldn't get much selling the figure. And she did have two.

"Okay then."

"Yes!" Futaba jumped in the air, a Feather Dooka prize box in her hands. "Got him! He'll look great next to Feather Toucan."

"Is Feather Toucan your favorite?"

"Why wouldn't she be? She's super smart and she wears green just like me."

"Mine is Feather Dooka," Sumire added.

Was she blushing?

"That's it!"

Kara and Sumire both jumped slightly. "We should call ourselves The Feathermen! No, wait. The Feathered Friends."

"Feathered Friends?" Sumire asked. Her voice trembled slightly, but she was smiling.

"Yeah." Futaba pointed at Sumire. "Dooka." She then shifted to Kara. "Crow and..." With a big grin she pointed at herself, "Toucan."

Takara attempted a kind protest. "Uh, isn't that...a little childish?"

"What's wrong with that? We're friends aren't we?"

We've only just met.

"Well, that's true. Futaba's been begging for our group to get a third for a while too."

Was that why she had invited him?

"I think I'm more of a crane though," Sumire mused.

"Okay then, Sumire's Feather Crane. What about you, Kara? Wanna stay a crow or...?"

Hmm. What type of bird would he be?

Kara sat trying to get his hair to brush out differently. He wanted to look his best after all.

"Since when did you dress so fashionably?"

Kara bounded out of his seat at the sound of Goro Akechi's voice.

"You're the one who taught me the value of appearance." He spun around, showing off his stylish and colorful ensemble.

"A good appearance doesn't have to mean a flashy one."

"Maybe not, but I like it. It gets me noticed."

Goro sighed. "That's not always a good thing."

"Yes, it is."

"Kara."

"What?" Kara moved back to his vanity. Time to mess with make-up for a bit.

"Really, Kara?"

"You wear make-up too." He glanced through his eye shadows. He'd selected some that would work with this outfit, but now he needed to choose just the right one.

"Not in rainbow,” Goro protested.

"You should." Shimmering green mermaid tail was always a good look.

Goro sighed. "You're such a peacock."

"Peacock."

"That's not a real Featherman," Futaba whined.

Sumire chimed in. "It sounds cool though. Feather Peacock. I like it."

"Hmm. Well, it does sound pretty good,” Futaba admitted.

That was fast.

"Alright then, Feathers Toucan, Crane, and Peacock, it is time for our first mission as the Feather Friends."

"And what's that?" Kara asked. He wasn't quite sure how he felt getting drug into this, but figured it best to go along with it for now.

"Snack time!" Sumire announced.

Futaba beamed. "Indeed, Feather Crane, we must procure tasty munchies." She turned to Kara. "Any thoughts, Feather Peacock?"

"Yeah. We'll teach you all the best places to get food around here."

Somehow, Kara didn’t doubt Sumire knew all the best snack spots.

"Well, how do you guys feel about crepes?"

"Hmm, a crepe mission, huh?"

"I love crepes," Sumire announced. "But Shibuya's not really the best spot."

No, it wasn't. "How about Harajuku then? You guys showed me to the arcade, so I want to take you to the best crepe stand in Tokyo."

"Best?" Futaba visibly drooled just a little.

"Absolute best," Kara assured them. "At least, that's what my brother always said."

Sumire smiled at him. "Well, we have to go then."

"Operation Crepe Hunt, commence!"

"What is it?" Kara stared at the carry-out box suspiciously.

"Leftovers," Goro answered.

"Leftovers?"

"You always complain about not getting to try the food I show in my blog, so I made sure to get extra."

Kara carefully opened the lid. A beautiful stack of fluffy pancakes greeted him. "These look amazing. But, you never get pancakes."

"Someone mentioned them at the studio today. It gave me a weird hankering, so I decided it was time to finally review this place."

Kara sat the box on his side table. "They look really good."

"They are."

He wasn't quite sure why, but Kara needed to hug Goro right then. So, he did.

It surprised him when Goro wrapped him up in his own embrace.

"Goro?"

"I think I screwed up."

"That's impossible."

Goro stepped back, keeping his hands on Kara's shoulders. "You think so?"

"Yeah, and even if it were, you always get back up. No matter what."

"Well, I suppose I do know how to adapt."

"Yeah, you do."

Goro ruffled Kara's hair. "You do too, you know."

"My therapist might disagree with you there."

"You're tougher than she realizes."

"You think so?"

Goro nodded. "We both are. Just in our own ways."

"I'm sorry I cause you trouble."

With a shrug, Goro replied, "It's nothing much. And you're getting better."

"I'm not always sure I want to get better."

Goro hugged him again.

"Yes, you do. Besides, when you get better, you'll realize just how much you've missed."

"Goro?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you in love?"

Kara felt Goro stiffen.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

"I...not yet. It's not love yet, but it might become love if I'm not careful."

"You shouldn't be careful about falling in love. I know it hurts sometimes. I mean, my love for you is why..." Kara's voice trailed off. "My point is, it's worth it. Even if it hurts, and even if it's all twisted up, it's worth it."

"You mean it?"

"Yeah." Kara clutched Goro's jacket. "I know my love is all twisted up, and I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it, but it's still real. It still makes me all warm and fuzzy, and it feels safe. Love is like a safe haven for your heart."

"It can break it too, you know."

"I know, but I think even then it's worth it. So if you're in love, I want you to act on it."

"Kara." Goro sounded truly surprised, and why wouldn't he? Kara knew just how jealous and possessive both of them could be.

"I won't like it," he admitted, "but I want you to be happy. More than I want anything else."

Goro stroked Kara's hair. "Let's both be happy, Kara. Each in our own ways."

"Yeah." Kara pushed back. "I'll find happiness somehow."

"I know you will."

Kara offered a sad smile to Goro.

Looking back on it, that was when he'd realized he needed to shift what sort of love he felt for Goro Akechi. The love he'd originally felt, the love that still lingered in his heart, it was toxic, a poison determined to ruin his life.

But that didn't mean it wasn't real. He just needed to redirect it.

He smiled at the Feather Crow figure on his vanity. Maybe being a member of the Feather Friends could help.

The door to his room burst open, a strongly-built man charging in.

Startled, Touma never charged in without knocking, he exclaimed,"What is it? What's wrong?"

The man grinned from ear-to-ear. "It's Goro. We’ve found him.”

**Author's Note:**

> I finally introduced Kara! Woot! I love this boy. He's been part of my Akechi backstory for a while now, and even when I decided after Royal to soften things a bit, I couldn't get rid of him. This happens to me a lot, where I realize I need to change something but also that I love my OC.
> 
> I really wasn't thinking of using Futaba and Sumire when I started this story, but I liked the sense of progress it gave. Plus, it's fun to think about what they're like post-game.


End file.
